At a critical time to capture water in Flathead Lake, CSKT and EKI are implementing a solution to balance the multiple needs of the community. EKI will implement a 45 percent reduction in the license required minimum flows from 12,700 cfs to 7,000 cfs. The reduction will be impactful to the lower river fishery and electricity production for the remaining days of June. However, both impacts will be offset in the last half of July and August with the shift of water volume in the lower river. A trade-off that will provide 46 days of lake access in the top 12 inches and 62 days of access in the top 18 inches as opposed to zero days and 9 days at these elevations without the adjustment. August lake elevations are still projected to decrease to nearly three feet below full pool by August 31.
The required approval from the Secretary of Interior was received by EKI Friday allowing the reduced instream flows to be implemented.
The yellow lines show projected lake levels and project outflows with the approved deviation. The black lines show projected lake levels and project outflows without the deviation.
SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.